<h4>Chapter 388: The kindest words.</h4>


    King Raff did not respond to what Rnd said. Rnd drew in a deep breath and he sat down. A quiet settled in between them-thick and old, like dust from a forgotten tomb.


    Rnd took another breath and he said, "I love my wife like a man who rules beside a den of lions," he said softly. "I know exactly who she is and what she is. She us not just my queen. She is the second half of my two pronged sword. When she speaks, people listen--because her voice carries iron and mercy in equal parts.


    When the people are starving, she does not hesitate to open her purse or that of the Thorin family to feed them. If a gue or disease is spreading, she sleeps in an alchemy room, trying to figure out what herbs will cure our people.


    When there is a threat on the wall, she does not hide but she picks up a de, takes my hand and we fly to the wall together. We fight side by side and bathe in the blood of our enemies. She is fearless and she is my pride."


    "And if she turns on you?" King Raff asked, narrowing his eyes. "Lord Benwick warned me about her."


    "I choose to trust what I see and if that changes in future, it will not be impossible for us to go our separate ways legally. As for Lord Benwick, if he thought that my wife was so dangerous, why them did he try so hard to work for her?" Rnd asked. "And when she refused, why was he so angry that he tried to ckmail her? Listeners were eliminated for a reason. You seem to have forgotten that."


    "As were female mages." King Raff retorted. "You have also forgotten that."


    Rnd shrugged. "A female mage and a male mage are no different. They can both manipte anyone if they wish to. Male mages only survived because kings needed them to be sword mages and lead battle. If not, they would have been stripped of magic too."


    King Raff could see that he was losing this argument. He sighed, long and low. Exhaustion was already iming his body. "You are too naive and gentle."


    "I am deliberate." Rnd answered.


    "You are too enamored." King Raff suggested.


    "I am not afraid to dance with fire." Rnd replied.


    "You are..." King Raff sighed. This game was too tiring and he just wanted to sleep.


    Sigrid had been right about his body, it could not keep up anymore. "I hope you know what you are doing son otherwise, one day you will wake up and she will be king and you will be nothing."


    Rnd tilted his head, "That does not sound bad at all. At the end of the day, our child will be the one to sit on the throne. I am not like you, I have no ns to rule into my nies and die on the throne.


    Someday, preferably after my fiftieth birthday, Sigrid and I will both retire. I will take my wife traveling and we will see the entire world. There is more to life than being the ruler of an empire.


    I may not have learned many things from you but one thing I have learned is not not to be obsessed with anything. Stop worrying about my wife and her ambitions. Where you failed, I will seed.


    Strength does not always roar father, sometimes it stands besides strength and calls it home."


    King Raff regarded his son for the longest time. Then, slowly, he eased himself down and closed his eyes. "I give up. May your home be forged in a will that was stronger than mine son."


    Rnd found these to be the nicest and kindest words his father had ever said to him. In his books, this was the best and most honest conversation that they had ever had.


    He covered his father with a nket and left the room. Only after walking out of the hospital did he recall that he had not asked his father about Benjamin.


    For the first time since putting Benjamin under house arrest, Rnd decided to visit this brother.


    He went to his estate alone, with just his knights. When he arrived, a maid informed him that Benjamin was sleeping. The knights went to his chambers and forced him out of bed where hey, between two naked maids.


    Benjamin dressed up hastily and walked down the stairs barefoot and rumpled. He had grown a beard, and his hair was longer. He had also gained more weightpared to thest time Rnd had seen him. This was especially around the stomach.


    When he saw Rnd, he did not bow. "Have youe to take my head today brother?"


    Rnd’s answer was silence.


    Benjamin smiled. "Ah, that’s not it. I guess you havee to strip me more of my freedoms. What do you n to take this time? My food, wine, women?"


    "Father is awake." Rnd shared as he sat down.


    Benjamin pointed at the television hanging on his wall. "I have a crystalvision so I am aware. It was circting on the news the day after your mother was buried." He threw himself into a chair. "My sincerest condolences on that by the way. I never got to say it at the right time seeing as to how I was so politely kept from attending the funeral to gloat."


    Rnd did not respond.


    Benjaminughed. "We both know that she was behind the fire in which my mother died. Let’s not pretend the cold Maurelia was a sweet warm loving woman."


    Rnd sneered, "I just told you that father is awake and what you want to discuss is my mother. Your priorities as ever seem to be misced brother."


    Benjamin’s face twitched. "Is he....aware?"


    If by that you mean does he remember the fact that you left him to die, then yes. He remembers the attack." Rnd stood and moved to stand by the window. "At first, I thought he was not asking about it because he wanted to forgive you or he had forgotten but then I was told that he asked about Emmah." Rnd looked back at Benjamin. "The woman that you chose to save instead of him. The murderer you loved."


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